49ers at Seahawks: Stakes are high in Seattle

The Seahawks really do face a must-win game against the 49ers. At least it's must-win if Seattle wants to hold onto those slim playoff hopes.

This is a measuring stick, too, the Seahawks playing a 49ers team that has already clinched the division.

So we turned to one of the veterans in Seattle's locker room, a guy who has been on both sides of this game, and asked fullback Michael Robinson to talk about what's at stake.

"I think it's very important," he said, "not only for playoff implications -- we've obviously got to win to get in. They've got to win to get home-field advantage -- but for us to continue to take the steps we want to as an organization and as a team, we've got to start winning games like this. We've come from hoping to win to now expecting to win. And if we expect to be the team that we all want to grow into, we have to win games like this game coming up."

Q: How do you look back at the Week 1 meeting? Do you feel like that was a game that got away, and is there any motivation drawn from that?

Robinson: "They're a totally different team, we're a totally different team. That was the first game of the season for both of us. They've gotten better, we've obviously gotten better so you really can't take, but so much from that game. But personally speaking, yeah, it does leave a bad taste in your mouth."

Q: Does the fact San Francisco is a division opponent -- a team you're going to be competing with annually -- make this more important?

Robinson: "I'm a firm believer, if you step out there on Sunday, and there's another NFL team on the other sideline, the stakes are heightened. It doesn't matter who it is. Again, that's the mentality we're starting to take hold of. Pete believes and he teaches us, it's not about who's on the other sideline, it's about us. And we focus on the things we've got to do. Take care of the little things, again, the big things take care of themselves."

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At issue, Harbaugh and Carroll didn't get along when they were respective coaches at Stanford and USC. As such, the niners have an extra... Posted on December 23, 2011 at 5:00 PM by
Seattle49erfan.Jump to comment

PC and JS have done a good job pulling the defense together.
Mackstar, shouldn't Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator get some credit as well? Posted on December 21, 2011 at 1:27 PM by
Maseman99.Jump to comment

Chances are slim, but look who Detriot has to play. Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:16 AM by
rc1.Jump to comment